Tucked just east of the Fisher Building, the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant is more than a century old — a U.S. National Historic Landmark and one of the most important automotive heritage sites in the world. Here, in a modest brick-and-timber structure modeled after New England textile mills, the first Model Ts rolled off the line. Between 1904 and 1910, this factory became the launchpad for a mobility revolution, shaping Detroit’s identity and altering the course of modern life.
Jill Woodward, president and CEO of the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum, spoke with Detroitisit about the building’s extraordinary legacy, the innovations it witnessed, and why its story still resonates.
Q: What role do you think the Piquette Plant has played in shaping Detroit’s early identity as the Motor City?
A: With so many Henry Ford and Ford Heritage sites, it’s easy to forget that there’s an exact point where Detroit’s automotive story began — and it’s here. This 120-year-old building is one of the world’s oldest surviving car factories still in its original condition.
When visitors step inside, they’re often struck by the contrast: it’s humble, yet this was the stage for pivotal moments. Henry Ford met with architect Albert Kahn here. Thomas Edison walked these floors. And it’s where the first Model T came to life. Over the next 19 years, 15 million more would follow, transforming mobility worldwide. By the early 1920s, half the cars on Earth were Model Ts.
FORD MODEL T
The Model T was the iPhone of its day — not just meeting demand but creating a whole new way of living. It was the first car for the average person, enabling mobility and independence, which was completely transformative. This technology changed lives.
Also, people often ask why Milwaukee Junction became so important. At the time, five major railways converged here, including the line that would become the Dequindre Cut, connecting directly to the Detroit River. Detroit was already buzzing with industry—producing everything from stoves and train cars, to lumber and steel from up north—and Milwaukee Junction emerged as a vital transportation hub at the center of it all.
Q: When you think about the moment in time when this plant was operating at full force, what social, economic, and technological currents were converging in Detroit?
A: From 1904 to 1910, Detroit was in the midst of extraordinary change. Immigrants from Europe and Great Brittain were arriving in large numbers, drawn by steady work in the growing auto industry. The promise of the Model T — affordable, dependable, and versatile — made personal transportation accessible to working families, sparking the Great Migration and helping to build the American middle class. It was a tipping point for Detroit.
Q: Beyond automobiles, what ripple effects did the innovations here have on American labor, manufacturing, or the broader economy?
A: The Model T’s influence extended far beyond transportation. While Ford didn’t invent the assembly line, he perfects it at Highland Park — transforming manufacturing into a system of specialized, repeatable tasks that reshaped industries from consumer goods to agriculture.
This efficiency drove costs down, making products accessible to a much wider audience and fueling the rise of consumer culture. It also accelerated the labor movement, as industrial workers began organizing for better wages, hours, and conditions.
FORD PIQUET AVENUE PLANT MUSEUM
Even the car’s adaptability was revolutionary. Rural communities reconfigured Model Ts to be used as tractors. Their engines were used to create portable saw mills. The list goes on. Piquette’s legacy touches everything from industrial engineering to rural development.
Q: How do you see the plant’s history connecting to Detroit’s present-day narrative of innovation, resilience, and reinvention?
A: The fact that this building is still here says everything about Detroit’s spirit. The community literally saved the building. There was talk of demolishing it and putting up a warehouse. The community understood the significance, and the Henry Ford Heritage Association pitched in to purchase the building.
When the neighboring Studebaker plant caught fire in 2005, volunteers climbed our roof to stomp out embers. That’s Detroit. Even in challenging times, people here protect what matters.
Today, Piquette is more than a museum. It’s a working preservation site, an educational hub, and a gathering place for ideas. School groups learn the mechanics of an engine. Volunteers restore original features. Visitors from around the globe walk away inspired by what’s possible when vision meets determination.
Milwaukee Junction is experiencing a renaissance, with historic industrial landmarks taking on new life. The revitilized Fisher 21 building will blend residential, commercial, and retail spaces; the remaining Studebaker plant has transformed into the Piquette Flats lofts; and Detroit PBS is setting up in the neighborhood. For more than a century, this area was a hub of automotive and manufacturing activity, and nearly every Detroiter has a personal connection to that legacy. It’s fitting that today, younger generations are moving into apartments carved out of old car factories, living among the same brick walls and steel beams that once powered Detroit’s industrial rise. It’s a full-circle moment where the city’s deep-rooted history meets its modern resurgence, with buildings serving as both homes and reminders of a shared past.
FORD MODEL T
Q: What are some of the most amazing or little-known facts about the Piquette Plant and museum?
A: The first Model Ts weren’t just black — early versions came in deep reds, greens, and blues. Black became standard later at Highland Park, mainly because one color was cheaper and black dried faster, speeding production.
We also house the world’s only complete set of Ford’s “alphabet cars,” on display to the public – the prototypes leading to the Model T. Seeing them lined up is like watching the moment Ford shifted from building for the wealthy to building for the world.
The building itself is a work of art. Every car produced here was handmade, much like the clothing of that era. There’s a valuable lesson in the craftsmanship of building with our hands—something that has largely shifted to computers and CAD today. Despite its significance, many people are still unaware of the museum.
The building was saved in 2000, and in 2017 it received the long-term loan of the Porter collection of cars, marking the official opening of the museum you see today.
Q: Why do you think the Piquette Plant still resonates so deeply with people from around the world?
A: Visitors from more than 77 countries have walked through our doors, and the reaction is always similar — a mix of surprise and reverence. This isn’t a replica; it’s authentic. The original floors, beams, and bricks remain. You can see the wear from workers’ boots, feel the light pouring in through massive windows.
In an age of rapid, disposable technology, the Piquette Plant is a reminder of enduring craftsmanship and the power of a bold idea pursued with focus. People leave not just with a better understanding of Ford, but with the belief that innovation, executed with purpose, can truly change the world.
Get involved!
On Friday, September 12 at 6 p.m., the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant will welcome Los Angeles–based race car driver, X Games athlete, stuntman, and TV host Andrew Comrie-Picard for an evening of high-energy storytelling inside Detroit’s legendary birthplace of the Model T. From designing daring stunts for film and television to exploring the globe on four wheels, Andrew’s career is as dynamic as the space itself. Tickets include cocktails and dinner — $50 for members, $75 for non-members. You can register here.
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